SrabblCE 2008

(updated July 26th, 2008)

SrabbleCE is a training program for the Duplicate variation of the Scrabble word game.

It is not the standard version you play with your family or friends, but rather Scrabble Duplicate. In Scrabble Duplicate the tiles drawn are the same for every player who has to try and score the optimum points available with those tiles. Each player puts this word on the board but only scores points for the word that they found. The computer displays the maximum score possible. That's the basic aim. The advantage of this form of the game is that there can be many players (good for clubs) and everyone gets the same draw and the same board.

1. Download the full version of SrabblCE 2008
2. Install it (to do that, copy the .cab file on the device and then open it with Windows Mobile's file manager, do not try to extract files from .cab on the PC)
3. Note your SrabblCE's identifier in the following screen (it is linked to the Pocket PC device) and send it to me via email (it is possible to enter it in Paypal's comment field) :
   
4. Within 48 hours (of course, if the paiement has been done), I send through email the unlock key which has to be entered in the corresponding field. This will unlock SrabblCE, the key is saved and will not be asked again.

1. display of SrabblCE's word before switching to next turn
2. "isotop" handling : when several words give the maximum score, SrabblCE displays them one after the other and the user can choose the one she wants to keep.
3. a few help features such as :
   1. check the validity of a word in the dictionary
   2. display all 7 letters words which can be made with the current letters selection
   3. display all 8 letters works which can be made by adding a letter to the current selection

Download

SrabblCE2008 version 1.2.1587.1
SrabblCE2008 evaluation 1.2.1587.1

Instructions

New game

SrabblCE begins by asking for the method of selecting tiles, Automatic or Manual :

• Automatic selection: SrabblCE selects the letters - automatically rejecting combinations not conforming in terms of the number of vowels or consonants.

• Manual selection: the user selects the letters. This makes it possible to arbitrate or analyse a go. In this case, it is possible for SrabbleCE to systematically play the word suggested by the player and not the best word.

Manual Selection

When manually selecting letters you click on a letter in the bottom part of the window to put it onto the tile rack. To correct a letter chosen simply select it on the tile rack and click on another letter below.

SrabblCE starts looking for the best go as soon as a word is placed on the board and accepted. The coloured light to the right of the stopwatch is red while the word search is continuing and turns green once the best word is found. The search is normally carried out in a few seconds (2-3) when there are no blanks selected. Because of the current format of my dictionaries research is much slower a blank tile has been selected and slows even more when both blanks have been selected.

Playing the game

To reorder the letters on the tile rack, select a letter by clicking on it and then click on the letter in front of where you wish to reposition the letter. To move a letter to the end of the tile rack, select it then click to the right of the tile rack (on the timer).

To place a word, just click on two aligned squares on the grid : SrabblCE will place the letters between the two. The following screenshots correspond to a first click in H2 and a second in H7 (or H8).

To cancel positioning a word click on .

To play a word click on . A dialog box then shows the words made up and their respective values. If one of these words is not accepted, its posted value is of -1.

If you click on "Cancel", you go back to the mail screen. If you click on "Play", SrabblCE displays one by one all best solutions it found : arrows switch between these solutions and the validate button chooses the word to play. Finally, glasses button displays the points count of the displayed word.

It is possible through the menu to display all moves already played :